NBC blames headset for Smylie Kaufman’s NSFW hot mic at The Open

First it was a wild bat invading the booth that sent Dan Hicks and Kevin Kisner ducking for cover. Then on-course reporter Smylie Kaufman apparently experienced some technical difficulties which led to him dropping an expletive on an unexpectedly hot mic.

Give Kaufman a little bit of credit, though, he did utter the curse word in a hushed tone. Golf is nothing if not obsessed with etiquette, after all. Still many people watching the broadcast picked up on the error immediately.

Warning: NSFW Language

NBC’s Mike Tirico came on the air a short while later to explain what happened.

“Earlier we had some technical issues with our microphones,” Tirico said. “When you come over here, our on-course reporter, sometimes the headsets don’t work the same way they do back home. Because of that, it led to some language getting through on the air that shouldn’t have gotten through. So we just want take the time to apologize for that comment getting through back home.”